Liquid dispenser with open valve latching means



Oct. 17, 1950 -w. J. OBRIEN 2 ,9

LIQUID DISPENSER WITH OPEN VALVE LATCHING MEANS Filed March a, 1945 2Sheets-sheaf 1 INVENTOR.

Oct. 17, 1950 w. J. OBRIEN 2,526,040

LIQUID DISPENSER WITH OPEN VALVE LATCHING MEANS Filed March 9, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII Illullll INVENTOR. w M

Patented Oct. 17, 1950 LlQUID DISPENSER WITH OPEN VALVE ILATCHING MEANSWilbur :J.'OBrien, Cincinnati; .Ohio, assignor to -.BalcrankIncorporated, Cincinnati,

.poration of Ohio 1 Ohio, acor- Application March 9, 1945, Serial No.581,758

This invention relates to dispensers for delivering liquid to a point ofuse, such as lubricating oil to the crankcase of an engine; and isparticularly directed to improvements in the valve operating mechanism,the valve position indicating means, and the delivery tube of this typeof dispenser. p

It is recognized that the prior art discloses a great many structuresfor operating the valve as well as means for indicating the position ofthe valve. 'However, none of these prior structures contains theinvention as set forth and disclosed here wherein new and useful resultsare obtained in the simplicity and ease of operation of the valveoperating and position indicating mechanism and the ready assembly ofthe dispensing valve operating mechanism and the delivery tube relativeto the dispenser. L

The broad objective accomplished in this invention is the provision of avalve operating mechanism actuated by a trigger element convenientlyrelated to the handle of the dispenser.

Afurther. accomplishment has been the provision of improved means forlocking the valve actuating mechanism"in-position with the valve heldopen, this' 'mea being-"closelyassociated with the trigger in' positionto b e released. by thumb pressure adjacent the trigger. 'Further', thislocking-means when holding the valve open is disposed in an*ext'endedposition whereby it serves as an indicato'r of the openposition.

A still furtheraccomplishment has been to include these trigger andlocking parts compactly within the handle for the dispenser with .thetrigger conveniently disposed for operation by the forefinger of theoperater.

In the past the assembly of the valve parts in the dispenser has been adiiiicult operation and one which retarded rapid production. "This hasbeen true since the valve itself and itssupport arm are mountedinsidethe receptacle on the bottom thereof in a position rather diflicult toreach. p

This problem of assembly has been solved by the resent inventor by theprovision of mounting-means for the-valve which is assembled simply bypushingthe assembled parts downwardly into position, "there being nonecessity for tediously inserting apin or pins into place while holdingthe partsin-ali'gned relationship.

Still further improvement of the di penser has been accomplished in the'mounting of the delivery spout whereby its rotative' connection to thedispenser is more ellici'ently sealed against leakage of :oil and thespout-is easily moved/or swung on the connection. q

Other objects and certain advantages will be: more fully apparent from adescription of the accompanying drawing in;, which-:x.;';;--

9 Claims. (01. 222474) welded in position spaced. upwardly from thelower edge of the cylindrical body. It lies against a shoulder [4produced by an annular inwardly 2 Figure '1 is a side view of thedispenser of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken vertically through the dispenser andshowing the details of the valve operating mechanism with the valvedisposed in closed position.

Figure 3 is a view taken similar to Figure 2 but showing the valve inopen position and the trigger holding element in indicating position,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2, showing theconnection between the valve arm and the operating rod.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 2, illustratingthe pivotal mounting for the valve arm.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-6, Figure 3,showing the details of the spout connection to the dispenser.

The body I!) of the dispenser is cylindrical. Its lower edge ll isrolled inwardly to form a reenforcement beading or stiffened portion.The upper. edge has a lip element l2 welded thereto, the flange of whichcurves inwardly and downwardly.

The bottom element 13 .of the dispenser is depressed portion in the wallof the cylindrical element. The bottom element is pressed out to providean eccentrically disposed outlet opening l5 to which the bottom slopesfor complete drainage. V

The handle l5 for the dispenser is formed of sheet metal elements.welded together. A tubular grip portion ll is providedwhich is shapedtov fit the hand. This grip portion is attached to the dispenser body bymeans of flat members 58 disposed in parallelism and extendingdownwardly "to the body. They include attaching flanges I9-secured tothe body by means of bolts 20. Reenforcing members 2i are providedwithin the tubular grip portion.

The handle includes an upward extension 22 of the grip portion whichhouses and mounts the valve operating trigger 23 and locking pawl 24.This extension 22 is constituted by a curved continuation of the gripportion. It overhangs the upper end of the dispenser and has its sidesand top welded to the dispenser as at 25.

The trigger. is mounted on a pivot pin 26 extending across between thewalls of the housing 22. The upper end of the trigger projects into theupper portion of the housing and thus overhangs the edge of thedispenser. An operating rod 27 is disposed within the dispenser parallelwith the axis of the dispenser and adjacent the side thereof.- The upperend of this rod is pivotally attached to the upper end of the trigger bymeans of a pivot pin 28.

The lower end of the rod 2'! is pivotally attached (see Figure 4) to theoperating end or" the valve arm 29. The end of the arm is looped as at30 to receive the end of the rod 21. A pivot pin 3|, passing through thesides of the loop and the rod, provides a pivotal connection.

The valve arm has the valve element 32 fixed to its other end inposition to seat on the margin of the outlet opening I5. The valveelement consists of a circular plate element fixed to a pad 33 welded tothe downwardly turned end 34 of the arm.

This arm 29 is fulcrumed on a bracket 35 (see Figure fixed to the bottomof the dispenser. The bracket is formed from a strip of metal bent toprovide doubl thickness attaching flanges 36 and upwardly projectedspaced flanges or arms 31 for receiving the pivoted portion of the arm.

The arm carries a pivot pin 38 fixed in position with the ends of thepin projected outwardly at each side of the arm. The upper ends of thearms or flanges 31 are flared outwardly as at 39 for receiving the pinends. Also, guide grooves 49 are provided extending downwardly on theinsides of the flanges or arms 3?. These grooves guide th pin ends tothe bores ii in the arms 31 into which they snap when aligned.

Thus, the assembled valve arm and rod may be lowered unitarily and thepivotal connection of the valve arm in the bracket 35 readilyestablished simply by pushing the fixed pin downwardly into the bracket.

Means is provided for holding the valve in open and closed positions.This means is constituted by the pawl element 24. This pawl is pivotedon a pin 42 in the housing 22. The trigger element 23 and the pawlinclude adjacent and aligned recesses 63, 43. A spring 44 is disposedunder compression within and between these bores or recesses. The upperend of the pawl includes a projected lateral edge 55 adapted to engage anotch 45 in the rear face of th trigger when the trigger is pulled ordepressed. By virtue of the relationship of the pivots for the triggerand pawl the spring will cause the pawl to snap into the groove and thuslock the valve open when the trigger is depressed.

The triggers actuating end extends into a clearance 4? (Figure 1) whereit can be engaged by the forefinger of the operator. The underside ofthe extension is open for this purpose. The rear side of the extensionor housing is cut away as at 3 8 for clearing the pawl and disposing itfor engagement by the thumb of the operator.

When the valve is open (Figure 3) the pawl projects outwardly and thusindicates the open position of the valve. Thumb pressure on this pawl,when in this position, will releas the trigger and the valve will moveto closed position under the influence of the spring. The spring, atthis time, is pressing against a fixed abutment, namely, the pawl, whichcannot move because its upper end is lying against the rear face of thetrigger above the groove or notch 45.

A swinging type of spout 59 is provided. This spout includes an inwardlyextended lower end 5|.

A fitting 52 (Figure 6) is attached to the bottom below the outletopening and is adapted to receive the oil. This fitting is welded to theunderside of the bottom, the circular fiange 53 fitting into theopening. The fitting provides a chamber 54 and a recess 55 in itsunderside for mounting the receiving end 56 of the spout. The end 56consists of a transverse tubular member having its axis laterallydisposed relative to the remainder of the spout.

The open end 51 of the tubular portion is mounted in an opening 58between the fitting chamber 54 and the recess 55. The other end ismounted on a thimble 59. The thimble is disposed in a bore 60 in theside of the recess and its inner end projects into a circular depressionBl in the end of the tubular portion 56 of the spout. A spring 62 isdisposed under compression between a Washer 63 and the bottom of thethimble lying against the spout extension.

A cotter pin 64 passes through the boss 65 of the fitting and across theouter face of the Washer 63 for holding the spring in place. The cotterpin passes through longitudinal slots 66 in the thimble 59 so thethimble is unrestricted in its axial movement against the spoutextension. The tubular extension 56 of the spout has its wall curvedaxially so as to provide a curved seating surface 61 engaging theopening 58 to constitute a seal under the spring pressure.

The spout is removed by first removing the cotter pin and the thimbleassembly. Then the spout can be moved laterally for cleaning the openingor bore 58.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening in thebottom thereof, a valve for said outlet opening, a handle for saidreceptacle, a valve operating trigger mounted within said handle, meansconnecting said trigger and said valve, a pawl mounted within saidhandle and cooperating with said trigger to latch said valve in openposition, and spring means between said trigger and pawl operable formoving said valve to closed position and said pawl to latching position.

2. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening in thebottom thereof, a valve for said outlet opening, a handle for saidreceptacle, a trigger mounted within said handle and operativelyconnected to said valve, a pawl mounted within said handle adjacent tosaid trigger, said pawl constructed and arranged so as to engage saidtrigger when in position, with the valve opened for holding said triggerin the aforesaid position and, a spring disposed between said triggerand said pawl adapted to urge said valve into closed position and saidpawl into latching position.

3. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet at its lowerend, a valve for said outlet, a handle for said receptacle, a triggerpivotally mounted within said handle and having a portion extendedbeyond the confines thereof for manipulation by the forefinger of theoperator, a pawl pivotally mounted adjacent said trigger, said pawldisposed within the confines of the handle, said trigger operativelyconnected to said valve, said trigger including a notch engageable bysaid pawl when the trigger is in valve opening position, and a dualpurpose spring arranged to urge said pawl into said engaging positionand to urge said valve into closed position.

4. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening at itslower end, a valve for said outletopening, a tubular handle for saidreceptacle, a trigger mounted in said handle, said trigger operativelyconnected to said valve, a pawl mounted in said handle adjacent to saidtrigger, said pawl constructed and arranged so as to hold said triggerin valve opening position, said trigger having its manipulated portionextending from the handle to a portion engageable by the forefinger andsaid pawl disposed in an opening in the handl opposite to that fromwhich the trigger so as to project therefrom when the valve is open toindicate this position and to be accessible for movement to release thetrigger.

6. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening at thelower end thereof, a handle for said receptacle, a valve for saidopening, said handle having a grip portion and an upper casing portion,a trigger mounted in said casing portion and operatively connected tosaid valve, a pawl cooperable with said trigger to releasably latch saidtrigger, said casing portion including a clearance just above the gripportion and said trigger extending into said clearance for operation bythe forefinger of the hand gripping said grip portion and spring means,common to said trigger and pawl, urging the trigger into valve closinposition and said pawl into latching position.

7. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening in thebottom thereof, a valve for said opening, a handle for said receptacle,operating means at said handle for operating said valve, avalve-carrying lever disposed across the bottom of said receptacle, arod extending from v the end of the lever opposite to the valve to saidoperating means, a bracket for pivotally mounting said lever on thebottom of the receptacle, said bracket providing flared spaced armsincluding adjacent bores, and said lever including a pin fixed thereinand adapted to be forced between the arms into position in said boresand. means in said arms for guiding said pin into position in saidbores. V

8. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening in thelower end thereof, a valve for said opening, an arm carrying said valveat one end, an operating rod connected to said arm at the other end andfulcrum means for said arm including a bracket fixed to the bottom ofsaid receptacle and a pivot pin fixed in said arm and adapted to beinserted and mounted in said bracket, said bracket including a pair ofspaced limbs providing journals for said pin, at least one of said limbsbeing resiliently flexible and adapted to flex outwardly to receive saidpin between said limbs and into alignment with said journals and adaptedto flex inwardly when said pin is in alignment with said journalsthereby pivotally mounting said pin in said journals.

9. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an outlet opening in thelower end thereof, a valve for said opening, an arm carrying said valveat one end, an operating rod connected to said arm at the other end,fulcrum means for said arm including a bracket fixed to the bottom ofsaid receptacle and a pivot pin fixed in said arm and adapted to beinserted and mounted in said bracket, said bracket including a pair ofoutwardly flared, spaced limbs having aligned holes constitutingbearingsfor said pin, one of said limbs being resiliently flexible, each of saidlimbs having guide grooves formed on the inner surface thereof, saidgrooves being in communication with said journalholes, whereby as saidpin is inserted between said'limbs, the limbs will be spread and saidpin will pass along said grooves to journalling engagement with saidholes.

ILBUR J. OBRIEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 521,113 Hart June 5, 1894 731,454Higgins June 23, 1903 1,027,061 Norling May 21, 1912 1,696,079 DoolinDec. 18, 1928 1,550,686 Garvey Aug. 25, 1925 1,756,470 Paone Apr. 29,1930 1,901,504 Fulton Mar. 14, 1933 2,067,554 vVahle Jan. 12, 19372,245,803 McWhirter June 17, 1941

